Democratic Congressman Announces Retirement

Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) was re-elected to the House in the November 2022 midterm elections, giving him a seventh term. After winning the election with approximately 64% of the vote, the long-time politician declared that the recent triumph was the “best result…ever.” Yet his exuberance appears to have been short-lived, since Cicilline decided to leave the Lower Chamber barely four months after his landslide victory.

On February 21, the congressman announced his resignation, effective June 1. According to his statement, serving his constituents has been the “honor of [his] lifetime,” but an unexpected chance presented itself, and he couldn’t pass it up. After leaving Congress, Cicilline will continue to work to support his home state. He will become the CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting residents of his state in obtaining financial security, great healthcare, and a solid education.

Once the news came, several members of Congress spoke out, saying his spirit and strength will be missed in the House.

Cicilline serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, and the Antitrust Subcommittee in the House. According to his website, the representative has been working to combat price gouging and inflation, as well as federal gun safety legislation and ensuring that the marketplace remains fair and competitive for all businesses. The congressman recently visited Ukraine and feels that the US should continue to assist the country in defending itself against Russia. Cicilline is also a member of the House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, which advocates for equality for all Americans. He was the driving force behind legislation to further that aim.

To replace the congressman, Rhode Island will have to hold a special election, but the state’s first congressional district is solidly Democratic, thus a seat flip is highly unlikely.